WhileFEMAcoordinates with all public sector responders, it maintains its most integrated and formal operational relationship withFirefighters. This unique relationship is institutionalized through theUnited States Fire Administration (USFA), which is a core division of FEMA. The USFA’s mission is to provide national leadership, coordination, and support for the nation’s fire and emergency medical services (EMS). Furthermore, theNational Fire Academy (NFA)is located on the same campus as FEMA’s Emergency Management Institute (EMI) in Emmitsburg, Maryland, creating a shared educational and doctrinal environment.

Under theNational Response Framework (NRF), this relationship is further solidified byEmergency Support Function #4 (Firefighting). FEMA works directly with local, state, and tribal fire departments to coordinate federal firefighting support for structural and wildland fires. The USFA also manages theNational Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS), which is the primary database used by FEMA to analyze fire trends and allocate federal grant funding, such as theAssistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG).

For aCertified Emergency and Disaster Professional (CEDP), understanding this hierarchy is critical for resource acquisition. Firefighters are often the primary workforce for FEMA’sUrban Search and Rescue (US&R)task forces. While Law Enforcement (Option A) relates to the DOJ/FBI and Public Health (Option C) relates to the HHS/CDC, the Fire Service is "baked into" the FEMA structure. This formal alignment ensures that fire departments—which respond to over 30 million calls annually in the U.S.—are the primary tactical arm for local disaster stabilization, directly supported by FEMA’s training, data, and financial resources.